Hyundai Metaplant Completion Ceremony This Month Amid Wastewater Issue and Trump's Attendance Speculation

Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) is set to hold its official completion ceremony later this month. However, the facility faces pressing environmental concerns due to wastewater discharge issues and the urgent need for a complete replacement of its wastewater pipes.

With key infrastructure still incomplete and environmental issues escalating, these challenges have emerged as potential factors influencing U.S. President Donald Trump's attendance at the Metaplant's completion ceremony.

According to the Georgia-based news outlet The Current, since October last year, millions of gallons of wastewater from the plant have been transported via trucks to external facilities for treatment. The electric vehicle and battery manufacturing plant, located in Ellabell, Georgia, has been sending its wastewater not only to locations within Georgia but also to private treatment facilities in other states.

Officials from the city of Savannah revealed that the wastewater contained heavy metal concentrations exceeding permitted levels, violating regulatory standards.

Hyundai and its partner companies have reportedly faced wastewater treatment challenges since September last year. Due to regulatory violations, wastewater treatment within Georgia’s coastal region was halted, forcing Hyundai to transport wastewater to external facilities in Jacksonville, Florida, and Goose Creek, South Carolina.

Bryan County is currently constructing a wastewater treatment facility at a cost of approximately $129 million to handle industrial wastewater from the plant. However, completion is not expected until late 2025. Meanwhile, Hyundai, which began vehicle production last September, requires immediate wastewater treatment solutions.

Initially, Hyundai's wastewater was processed at Savannah’s Travis Field Water Reclamation Facility. However, processing was discontinued after the facility found that copper concentrations exceeded the allowed limit by six times, and zinc concentrations were twice the permissible level. Additionally, Hyundai was criticized for management issues, such as missing conductivity measurement data for up to 19 hours.

Hyundai subsequently transported wastewater to Richmond Hill’s treatment plant. However, in December 2023, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) issued a warning letter to Hyundai regarding unauthorized wastewater transportation. During the last four months of 2024 alone, Hyundai reportedly transported over 5.2 million gallons of wastewater to facilities in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Hyundai identified elevated zinc levels in internal wastewater treatment facility pipes and initiated a full replacement project, which is expected to continue until late 2025.

The Georgia EPD also sent a warning letter in December regarding Hyundai’s unauthorized wastewater disposal at the Richmond Hill facility, prompting the company to cease using the site.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor Group has decided to use the HMGMA completion ceremony as an opportunity to strengthen ties with Trump administration officials. The company has invited U.S. President Donald Trump, along with key cabinet members and congressional representatives, to the event.

As environmental issues persist, attention is focused on whether Trump will attend the completion ceremony amid regulatory concerns surrounding Hyundai’s wastewater treatment challenges.